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WoW Archivist: WoW's most terrifying secrets

WoW Archivist explores the secrets of World of Warcraft's past. What did the game look like years ago? Who is etched into WoW's history? What secrets does the game still hold?

Last year, Alex gave us a thorough look at the hidden Karazhan Crypts area, with its massive pile of bones where hundreds of people were thrown down a well, and humans drowned by chaining them upside-down underwater. The crypts were never meant to be explored by players, but WoW has had plenty of other terrifying secrets through the years that are just waiting for us to discover them.

The C'thun Kids Club

Above the leatherworking shop in Goldshire, something is amiss. If you venture there, you will sometimes discover six children, arrayed in a strange pattern. They stand there, silently facing each other. The light music of Elwynn changes to an ominous low rumble or a creepy hum. Every so often you will hear ghostly noises, or even the voice of C'thun himself. Outside of the house, two tiny children's skulls are hidden in the grass.

They have been called the "creepy children," the "demon children," and the "evil children." They also run around Elwynn to Stormwind and back, always in formation. Sometimes they will stop and stare at each other again, or all look in one direction for no apparent reason. Presumably this is just to creep us out even more.

A recuperating Yogg-Saron?

The Old Gods are always scary, but perhaps never more so than when you encounter them unexpectedly. In Icecrown's Weeping Quarry area, a deep pool of water hides what looks a little bit like a pale, unhealthy Yogg-Saron recovering from his Ulduar beatdown. The oversized maw twitches occasionally. Will he rise again in a future expansion?

Occupy Lordaeron

Horde characters may be surprised to find out that every time they've ridden through the Ruins of Lordaeron above the Undercity, they've been surrounded by invisible ghosts. If you drink an Invisibility Potion or use a similar spell, you can see them, and even attack or kill them. Unfortunately, they don't drop anything interesting.

In the throne room of the ruins, you can hear ghostly sounds from the past, when Arthas returned to kill his father and everyone else in the city.

Strat got served

In Stratholme, Ghostly Citizens haunt the streets. They are the souls of Arthas' victims, forever wandering their home. They won't attack unless you provoke them. Once engaged, however, they are easily distracted. If you /dance with them, they will stop attacking in order to flash a few moves. They also respond to /wave and /rude.

The sitting skeletons

High on a hill in the Blasted Lands, four skeletons sit around a jumbled pile of ogre bones. Their skulls face upward toward the sky, as if they were all looking at the same thing in the moment of their death. A demonic runestone sits beside them. We don't know for sure what they were attempting, but we can guess. Either way, the outcome is beyond any doubt . . .

The demon barber of Stormwind

Azeroth seems littered with skeletons sometimes, even in the cities. Someone in Stormwind has been giving gnomes a closer shave than they bargained for. Above Stormwind's barber shop, two gnome skeletons have been stashed under the floorboards. A straight razor lies on the table next to them. Does the city have its own version of Sweeney Todd? Is someone across the street selling delicious gnome pies? I imagine gnome would be a succulent, porklike meat -- not gamey at all.

Dead gnomes everywhere

Speaking of gnome skeletons, there are two on a hill in northeastern Tirisfal Glades as well. They are holding hands, and one is grasping an ear of corn. Is this a Children of the Corn reference, or just the developers being wacky?

Invincible's grave

Tirisfal is also home to the grave of Arthas' horse Invincible. It lies at Balnir Farmstead. The inscription reads,

Invincible Beloved Steed of Prince Arthas Menethil Loyal and great of heart in life. May you find peace in death... Pure streams and green pastures, devoted friend...

The grave, of course, has been dug up. No rest for the undead -- or their mounts.

Humanskin tents

In Westfall, the gnolls are playing for keeps. If you examine their leather tents, you can see human faces sewn into them. There's no two ways about this one: gnolls are making their tents out of human skins. I don't remember picking up that particular recipe when I leveled leatherworking. I'll have to check the trainer again.

Worst orphanage ever

Tucked away in the hills of Nagrand, a troll woman named Challe presides over an orphanage with a very bad vibe. Maybe it's the kid hiding under the bones of some colossal beast. Maybe it's the stuffed bear looming over swaddled babies. Maybe it's the dog house with bloody scraps of meat inside of it -- is it meat for the dog, or the remains of one? Maybe it's the tauren baby centrifuge?? The tiny cages with bones inside leave little doubt that something sinister is afoot.

Whatever the story behind this place is, I'm convinced it's not a happy one. Thrall really should look into it.